Choices
by Metal Rules
Summary: Possible sequel to Spiderman the movie. Spiderman struggles with a new enemy. Also Peter discovers that he may have hurt Mary Jane more than he realised (Please see Spiderman the Movie)
1. Default Chapter

"Parker!"  
  
The voice boomed over the loud hustle and bustle of the offices of the Daily Bugle. Peter Parker, who was talking to J Jonah Jameson's secretary Betty Brant, flinched when he heard his name. Jameson's voice could strike unease into anybody, including a certain neighbourhood Spiderman. He turned around to see Jameson storming towards him with a blank broadsheet clutched in his hand. To Peter, he looked mad as hell with his face twisting and contorting in all different shapes. He got almost nose to nose with Peter and opened his mouth to speak. Peter expected the worst.  
  
"Why on Earth are you just standing around here doing nothing? Wheres the new photos I asked for?"  
  
"Demanded" you mean, Peter quietly thought.  
  
"What is it, don't I pay you enough?"  
  
"Well actually.,"began Peter.  
  
"Actually don't answer that!" interrupted Jameson. "We have a major page one problem and what are you going to do about it?"  
  
"Umm. how about give you the pics you want," and with that he held up a file containing a variety of pictures of Spiderman.  
"And," he continued "collect my two hundred dollar bonus you promised me for them". He wearily stuck out his hand for the money. He knew JJJ wouldn't like it, but he just had to see the look his face.  
  
"Nice Parker, what you want? A medal? Gimme those," He snatched the photos out of his hand. "And you get one hundred dollars bonus, not two hundred!"  
  
Better than nothing Peter thought to himself as Jonah walked back to his office analysing the photos on the way.  
"Does he ever say thank you?" said Peter as he turned his attention back to Betty.  
  
"Not that I've heard," she replied. "But I know he is appreciative, he just doesn't show it."  
  
"I can definitely see that," he replied, slightly giggling at the same time.  
  
As she smiled back at him he suddenly found himself beginning accessing her. She was quite a pretty lady just a couple of years older than he was. She was a generally nice person and Peter thought to himself he might have a chance with her romantically given the right circumstances. But he then realised to himself. she wasn't Mary Jane Watson. That girl was quite literally of his dreams. He had his chance with her but stopped it before it could go any further after Norman Osborn's funeral. His Spiderman alter ego would put her at risk, just as it did when Norman found out his secret identity and used it to his advantage. It was one of the biggest curses that came with his abilities and it hurt him every time he thought about the girl he loved.  
Suddenly Peter jumped as a hand tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see Robbie Robertson, assistant editor of the Daily Bugle. He had become a good friend of Peter's ever since he had stared working there.  
  
"Hey Peter, sorry didn't mean to startle you."  
  
"No worries Robbie, what can I do for you?" It made a nice change to speak to him instead of JJJ, as was so often the case.  
  
"Well Jonah wanted me to ask you something he forgot. It's an assignment."  
  
"Okay, yeah, no probs, Spiderman pictures again?" Peter enquired.  
  
"Ahh, see that's the thing. No it isn't. Jonah wants you to diversify your work"  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yeah, he wants you to go to City Hall for the annual fashion show. He wants pictures to put in the fashion supplement for Saturday's edition."  
  
"OK, not what I had in mind, but sure I'll do it." He had no choice really, as he really needed the money. "What time?"  
  
"That's the thing Pete, the shows in an hour. Do you think you'll make it?"  
  
"Not a problem Robbie, I know some shortcuts," and with that he quickly excused himself from Betty, took the City Hall pass from Robbie's hand and dashed out of the door.  
  
* * *  
  
Peter stood on top of the Daily Bugle building in his Spiderman attire and his civilian clothing in his backpack.  
"This is the best short cut I can think of Robbie," he said as he shot out a web to a nearby building and then jumped gracefully into the air.  
  
* * *  
  
Within twenty minutes peter had arrived at City Hall. Back in his civilian clothing, he walked in with the crowd to where the show was being held. Looking around the huge hall that was packed to maximum capacity, he could see a variety of upper and lower class civilians. A further twenty minutes passed when an announcement over the tannoy declared the show was about to commence. Peter got into position with photographers from other rival newspapers. The tannoy crackled into life again and women's soft voice began to speak.  
  
"First up this afternoon lady's and gentlemen, we have the phoenix range." On came the first model and the photographers began casually snapping pictures.  
  
"Great, this is going to be just great!" Peter thought sarcastically as he already began to lose interest. He looked through his camera again readying the focus on the next oncoming model. As the image cleared he uncontrollably gasped. He watched in awe at the approaching female. She was slim, but curvy, wearing a fire designed figure hugging, ankle-length dress. Her was red, wavy and shoulder length. She was strikingly beautiful. Of course she was. it was Mary Jane. Peter was surprised to see her on stage. He kept in regular contact with her but she hadn't told him anything about a fashion show gig. He was eager to find out and decided he should see her and go back stage after the show using the pass the Bugle had given him. Suddenly his train of thought broke as an intense ringing exploded in his mind.  
  
Spider Sense!  
  
Peter looked around for the impending danger. There was none that he could see in the hall. He looked around again. Nothing. What the hell is it? he thought to himself. At that moment he got his answer. A large deafening explosion rattled the building from the outside. Pandemonium ensued as people at the show began panicking. Peter rapidly began bypassing the riotous crowd to get to the entrance first to see what caused the explosion. He was about to open the main entrance doors but quickly realised there wasn't any. The explosion had blown them off. As Peter virtually leapt out of the building he could see the devastation before him. A building across the street had been completely obliterated. His spider-sense told him that no one was hurt, as it was abandoned derelict flats. His attention quickly got drawn to a black van pulling away at top speed. He was no mind reader but was sure that had something to do with the explosion and he sure as hell was going to find out! 


	2. The Chase

After a quick duck into an alley, Spiderman was on the van's trail. The busy New York traffic had slowed down the escape progress of the black van considerably. As it swayed in between vehicles, Spiderman was swinging with ease closely behind. Suddenly the van drove under a lamp post that impeded Spiderman's swing. As he approached it, he let go of his web and grabbed the post and using the momentum of his swinging, flipped himself onto the back of the van. It was here he got a familiar welcome he got from most criminals: bullets. He dodged with relative ease and choosing the right time, ripped the back door off the van and jumped inside. He was greeted by two well built men, dressed entirely in black with beretta hand guns. They both lunged at him, but Spiderman gracefully used his agility to duck through them and take them out. He punched one down and knocked him out cold. The other he kicked and he went flying out of the back of the van. Quickly realising the severe mis-judgement of his kick, he quickly shot out a web to grab him. He pulled it taunt and bought the criminal flying back into the van colliding with the other criminal he had knocked down. Once they were done with, he turned his attention to the driver.  
  
" Would you mind stopping the vehicle Sir," he said in a mocking tone.  
  
"Piss off Spider-freak!" yelled the driver who produced a gun ready to shoot him. Noticing this, he quickly webbed it to the driver's hand making it very hard for him to steer.  
  
"Now that's not nice! You mind if I do it instead?"  
  
The van drove on through the streets where it was coming up passed a construction site. Seeing a crane hook being raised up, Spiderman dashed out to the back of the van and jumped out. As he did so he fired a web securely to the tow hook of the van and with his other available hand fired a web to the raising crane. As it pulled up, Spiderman pulled up the van along with it, swinging it away from any oncoming traffic. When seeing Spiderman swinging from the crane, the builders began to lower it.  
  
"All part of a days work," said Spiderman as the ground slowly came up to meet him. When he eventually touched the floor, four police cars roared onto the scene.  
  
"What have we got here," demanded the first officer who came onto the scene.  
  
"You tell me," said Spiderman. "These guys blew up a building and I decided to give chase".  
  
"Good job you did too," came another voice. An ununiformed officer approached the scene. "I'm Captain Harris," he said. "These men are international thieves. They had a stash of class A drugs at the abandoned flats buried in cement on the bottom floor. The explosion would normally have just taken out the specified floor area but since the building was in such a state of disrepair. it just fell to pieces and their stash destroyed."  
  
"Geez, if you gotta be a thief do it properly!" said Spiderman cheekily to the thieves as they were being lead away by some other uniformed officers. "Well I'd best be off,"he said as he turned away.  
  
"Oh, Spiderman? Leave the crime fighting to us in the future yeah?" said Captain Harris cautiously.  
  
"Can't do that Captain," replied Spiderman as he fired a web to a nearby building. "It's my duty as much as yours," he said as he swung away with the aching memory of his Uncle being killed and how he was partly responsible for his death. He wanted to make some sort of amends and he thought his Spiderman persona was the best way to go about it. 


	3. Uneasy Meeting

Peter stepped out of the elevator that brought him up to the floor where his apartment was situated. He had just given the fashion show pictures and pictures of Spiderman fighting the thieves in the van to the Bugle. He received $500 dollars for them all, which made him quite happy as he had more than enough to pay his half of the rent.  
Harry had moved out since his Dad's death and had gone to live on his estate to take over the running of business. He still insisted on paying his half of the rent, although he wasn't staying there anymore. At least until Peter had got a new flat mate. Pete, who was not too keen on handouts secretly thanked Harry as it helped him get by on the ever changing salary he got from the Bugle. As he continued to walk down the hallway to his apartment he noticed the door ajar.  
  
"Great!" he said out loud. "This is all I need, more thieves!" He crept up to the door to examine the damage when the door went flying inward. There standing before him was a tall, slim but curvy, beautiful woman. She was wearing a denim blue skirt that was cut just above her knees. She had a pale blue figure- hugging top on shrouded in a brown leather jacket.  
  
"Mary Jane!" exclaimed Peter!  
  
"Pete? Geez, you scared me there! Hey, I came up to see how you were doing and noticed the door ajar. I went into see if anything was stolen,"  
  
"Is there?" inquired Peter, who was still in a surprised shock at seeing his biggest crush.  
  
"Nah, looks like you just left the door unlocked or something."  
  
"Ah, stupid me," he said as he followed Mary Jane into the apartment. He knew exactly what had happened. He always forgot to lock the door to his apartment when Spiderman was needed. It always just seemed to slip his mind knowing that people may be in danger. "So how are you M.J?  
  
"I'm good thanks, just done some modelling work down at city hall. What a bummer that turned out to be."  
  
"Yeh, I know," replied Pete.  
  
"Wha? You were there?" said Mary Jane confused.  
  
"Sure was. I was taking pictures for a Bugle supplement. Saw you there. You looked great!"  
  
M.J. blushed in response. "Gee thanks. I wanted to tell you I was doing the show but for some reason. I thought I may jinx it if I told anyone. Fat lot of good that did." Here voice was that of disappointment as she remembered the explosion across the road had interrupted the show.  
  
"Hey don't worry bout it." Peter did his best to cheer her up. "As for the interruption. well these things kinda happen. I guess. You'll be pleased to know the Police have caught the guys that did it."  
  
"Yeah, I heard. With a little help from Spiderman as I recall," she said eyeing Peter up from head to toe. For some reason it made him shuffle around uncomfortably. The way M.J. had said it made him think she knew something else about him. Possibly the idea that he was Spiderman? Nah, she couldn't know he quickly thought to himself as he didn't want to ponder on it too long. He broke the silence and awkwardness by offering M.J. a drink.  
  
"Nah, thanks I'll pass. I just wanted to pop around and see how you are and see if you wanted to meet up sometime for lunch or something?  
  
Peter noticed how M.J. said it so casually. He realised she must still be feeling quite bemused and hurt by the way he gently let her down in cemetery after Norman's funeral. It tore him up inside every time he remembered it.  
"Yeah, that'll be great," he said sounding a bit too over enthusiastic. He was just happy at the thought of spending some time with her. She smiled back at him noticing his over zealous enthusiasm. "Umm, how about lunch, tomorrow. 1pm at Cory's Diner?"  
  
"That's great but I gotta insist on one thing though ok?"  
  
"Ok. what?"  
  
"I'm paying ok?" he said with a smile. She smiled back at him.  
  
"Yeah, thanks Pete, that'd be nice. Well I better be going now I guess. Nice to see you again in person." It was the first time they had seen each other in person for a couple of months. M.J. gave a final goodbye and shut the door behind her. Peter walked up to it, and with curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to take once last look at her through the peep hole on the door. To his shock he saw M.J. leaning against the wall opposite. Her arms were hugged against her body. Her face was full of pent up emotion being gently released through a single tear sliding down from her eye. Peter was about to go out and see her when she quickly wiped it away and walked off. He turned his back to the door. He fell against it and slowly slid down onto his knees. His head arched up, he began to speak.  
  
"What have I done? I'm such a fool for letting her slip through my arms." 


	4. Down and out

Hey, thanks for the reviews. I only hope I can keep up the same kind of style and quality of story all the way through! : p Bit of a dark and moody chapter now, but I assure you it won't stay like this and besides it's quite short!.........  
  
John Gibson was stressed. His City Service uniform was caked in dirt and mud smeared his face. The luminous yellow overall top he wore was faded and was more so lime green in shade. His dark brown hair was swepted back with a greasy shine to it. He was down on his luck, down in a rut and down on the streets sweeping the curbs. He hated his job. Hated his life. Hated EVERYTHING! His life had been a never-ending struggle. He had been deserted when he was fifteen by his uncaring foster parents. They had split up due to them both having affairs. He had come home one day to find a note:  
  
"Fend for yourself."  
  
It made him wish for his real parents but he knew nothing of them. It made him so angry and ready to explode in rage. But somehow. somehow he managed to keep it in. How could his foster parents have done this to him? At that time he thought it was his fault. It had made him plunge into a world filled with self-pity and not giving a damn. He moved into another foster home and finished school when he was eighteen. He then skipped around on a couple of jobs for a few years just getting by and occasionally not getting by. Sometimes he was on the streets. At least the job he had now kept him going. Street Sweeper. It sucked but someone had to do it, he thought to himself. But why him? He felt a burning yearn inside of him that made him think he could achieve much more. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, how or what. All he knew was that he felt he had the potential for something big. It was approaching 5pm and traffic in New York was beginning to pick up, making John's job a nightmare. Anger swelled inside of him but somehow he still managed to keep it locked up inside of him. Suddenly a car drove quite speedily by him went straight in to his cleaning trolley as it parked alongside the curb. John sighed with controlled anger. Brilliant, he said quietly. He went to pick it up when the driver of the car stepped out. He wore a black suit with purple t-shirt and black tie. A high rise lawyer or businessman he guessed.  
  
"What the hell do you call this?" bellowed the suited man who stood in a confrontational stance.  
  
"Unsafe driving?" replied John, taking a not so smart move to be cheeky.  
  
"I call it 'Damage to my car!" and with that the suited man shoved John towards his car to see the 'damage'. There was none.  
  
"I don't see anything and besides, what about my trolley?" He gestured over to it. It was tipped on its side and one of the wheels was broken.  
  
"That means nothing to me you low-life scum," he retorted back. He began to walk away to wherever he had to go. As he did so, he gave John some final words of warning.  
" Your job will be gone by tomorrow, I assure you of that!"  
  
John turned back to his crippled trolley and looked at the dishevelled broom in his hands. He wouldn't, would he? He shrugged it off; feeling self pity taking over again as his pent up anger slowly subsided. 


	5. The Call

Hey, thanks for the reviews to anyone who has rated.  
  
Peter rushed around looking for his jacket. He was due to be at his Aunt May's for dinner in a hour. It was a dinner she made him go to at least once a week. In fact, Peter didn't mind going. He liked to see his Aunt on a regular basis. It gave him chance to see how she was feeling and getting by without Uncle Ben. He owed to her, to Uncle Ben and himself to look out for her.  
  
When he eventually found his jacket the phone rang. He jogged to the door to let the machine take it the call when he suddenly had a quick change of thought: just in case it was either a job from the Bugle or an emergency.  
  
"Hello, Peter speaking"  
  
"Hey Pete, it's Harry. How's things going?" came the familiar voice on the phone. Peter always had time for Harry Osborn. He was Harry's closest confident since his father had died.  
  
"Not bad thanks Harry, and you?"  
  
"Busy as hell, I don't know how my Dad did it!" He was referring to his Dad's role of chairman of Oscorp industries. He had inherited it from his father in his will. At first it was something he didn't really care too much for, but it slowly grew on him.  
  
"How's the 'humble abode'? said Peter with a slight whisp of sarcasm in his voice. Harry gently laughed in return.  
  
"Ahh, you know, way to big for me as always. You know the offer's still there for you to move in anytime?"  
  
"Thanks Harry, but I don't think I could get use to living the life of decadence."  
  
"I know what you mean," replied Harry. I sometime wish I could stay as grounded as you."  
  
Peter silently accepted the compliment and carried on the conversation. "Sooo. hows the other stuff going?" Harry knew what he was on about. Spiderman. Peter knew he still hated his alter ego. He had learnt to step very carefully around the subject.  
  
"That's ok Peter. Spiderman isn't one of my highest priorities at the moment." Peter gently let out a sigh of relief, quiet enough for it not to be heard by Harry. "I feel my I would be doing my dad more justice by running his company and keeping order of things."  
  
"Yeah, I think you're right with that Harry." He always tried to gently dissuade him from pursuing revenge on Spiderman. It would make things awful tense between the two of them. Suddenly Harry asked something that caught Peter totally out of the blue:  
  
"How's you and Mary Jane?"  
  
Peter was taken a back. This was the first time Harry had mentioned it. It made Peter uneasy and his voice a little shaky. It was very awkward to think and talk about since he knew Harry liked M.J. too.  
  
"Umm. well. uh,,,," was the only response he could muster.  
  
"It's ok Peter. I'm not bitter about it or anything like that. On the contrary I think you two would be great together."  
  
Peter was again, taken a back by Harry's words. Was he giving Peter his blessing for them to go out?  
  
He sighed in response." Nothing's happening,"  
  
"Listen Pete, you should go for it. You deserve her."  
  
"Thanks Harry," said an astonished Peter Benjamin Parker. Feeling quite nervy with the way the conversation was going, he decided to steer the emphasis off him and on to Harry. Anything would do he thought to himself.  
  
"How's your love life?"  
  
Ouch! Was that the best you could do? Peter thought as he quietly cursed himself.  
  
"Great!" was the unexpected response. "I met this great girl called Liz. You gotta meet her. I really think you'll like her."  
  
"Yeah, that'd be great." He was pleased Harry was happy. He deserved it. Remembering he was going to be late for his dinner with Aunt May he realised he had to cut the conversation short. "Listen Harry, sorry but I'm gonna have to go now. I'm due for a date with my aunt."  
  
"Ok, yes no problem. I'll be in touch Pete. See you later."  
  
The phone went dead and Peter put down the phone.  
  
"Whoa, that was weird!" He put on his jacket and walked out the door.  
  
* * *  
  
Mary Jane was sat on her bed in her dingy apartment. It was a small, two room place not very homey and only supplied the basics. She never had guests around as she was too embarrassed to show it to anyone. Just like her old home. Her Dad was drunk all the time and was always angry. Her Mum never stuck up for herself or M.J. and her sister. She was a total walk over in Mary Jane's eyes. At least she was out of that place now, but she had to admit, not much of a better situation. The main thing she didn't like about the way she was living now was being alone. She was never alone at school. She was one of the biggest socialites when she was in school but not now. She rarely saw anybody due to her trying to get her acting and modelling career going. America: The land of opportunity? Yeah right she thought to herself. All the troubles she had plus the bottled up feelings she had for Peter which, she couldn't act on had worn her down. AT least she had the lunch with Peter tomorrow. Would that help her get motivated and help her get out of the mess she was in? Boy, did she hope so. 


	6. The decision

Thanks for the reviews everyone. Sorry it's taken so long to put a new chapter up but I've just started a new job.  
  
Also I'd like to take this moment to say to my girlfriend Hannah if she's reading this, that I love you with all my heart, soul and mind. You are my first, last and my everything. xxx  
  
"Oh it is good to see you dear." Peter received a kiss on the cheek. It was the trademark welcome of May Parker that he always got when he visited her. A he walked into the house memories came flooding back to him. Memories of his childhood and growing up with his Aunt and Uncle. He looked back on those good times fondly for they seemed to be when the family was worry free. But as with a lot of good things: they come to an end. Peter received his Spiderman powers that put constant pressure of being an attempted hero to the city. Aunt May was now a widow: something Peter would never forgive himself for, as he may have been able to prevent it.  
  
"Nice to see you too Aunt May. Boy something smells good!"  
  
"It's your favourite dear - roast pork."  
  
"Gee you sure know how to treat a guy right," he replied cheekily. Aunt May was the best cook he knew. Period.  
  
"Take a seat Peter, it will be ready in a few minutes. Do put the television on."  
  
"Thanks Aunt May," replied Peter as he sat down on the comfy settee sofa the Parker's had had for many years. He looked for the remote control to the T.V. At first puzzled as to why he couldn't find it, he quickly realised his mistake. There wasn't one. Aunt May and Uncle Ben had had the same old T.V. for as long they had the sofa. It had only broke down once but Ben managed to fix it using his electrician skills. The T.V. never stopped working again. Reaching out, Peter switched on the T.V. and immediately onto the screen came the start of the 6:30 news. He settled back in his seat to watch, with hopes of seeing if his alter ego was caught on film battling the thieves in the black van earlier that day. He wasn't disappointed. Following a non- biased review of the event came an interview on the subject: Spiderman-Hero or Menace? To Peter's dismay the interviewee was his boss J.Jonah Jameson. As the interview progressed, Peter could see Jonah had nothing but hate and contempt for Spiderman. Why was he like this Peter thought? It's not as though he had a specific reason to hate him. Or did he? Peter's train of thought was then gently interrupted by his doting Aunt announcing dinner was ready. After a hefty pork roast, which Peter had eaten all of, May brought out the dessert. Chocolate cake and ice cream. It was another of Peter's childhood favourites. When she sat back down they both started to eat when she inquired,  
  
"How is Mary Jane?"  
  
Again someone asking about M.J. he thought to himself! Hoping not to get too worked up over it, he candidly replied,  
  
"Yeah ok, we are going out for lunch at a diner tomorrow."  
  
Aunt May's dessert spoon dropped into her bowl and the clatter made Peter jump.  
  
"You better do much better than that young man!" Her voice was stern but not angry. In fact Peter could sense some noticeable worry in her voice.  
  
"Umm. we agreed to only be friends Aunt May." WRONG! You only agreed to be friends Peter he quietly thought to himself. It wasn't what he wanted but he felt he had to stay this way because of Spiderman persona.  
  
"Peter, you know as well as I do that isn't what you want."  
  
Was she reading his mind?  
  
"I don't think it's the right time to start anything new with M.J. She's struggling to get her modelling and acting career started.  
  
Lame excuse Pete.  
  
"Not good enough Peter. You'll never know if you don't try."  
  
"Okay, you got me Aunt May," he said as he dropped his spoon into his dish and half-heartedly raised his hands in surrender. "It's just."  
  
"Just nothing," said the unusually forceful May Parker.  
  
Peter quickly thought the situation through. If his own aunt; his mother through his eyes and the person he respected most, was saying he should get closer to Mary Jane, then maybe he should. Would it work? How would he be able to keep his Spiderman secret from her? Should he tell her? All these questions frantically ran through his mind as he felt Aunt May's eyes scorch into him.  
  
"You know what Aunt May? I'll do it!" A wary smile crept upon his face. He knew he had to be careful but with the incentive from Harry and Aunt May and seeing M.J. cry in his hallway told him he had to do it.  
"Is it alright if I use the phone Aunt May?"  
  
"Of course dear," came the reply from the triumphant Aunt. A smile streamed across her face too. She hoped it worked out for them. She really did. 


	7. Wake Up Call

Hi to any one who has kept tabs on my work. Finally broke my writers block and am updating this story. I know there maybe flaws but I will rectify them. Also soon I shall go back and amend a few past chapters that I'm not happy with to try and beef up the story and atmosphere. Until then please read on............  
  
Peter ran as fast as he could through the college campus. He was late for his lecture. Again. He had overslept after a heavy night of Spiderman duties. It was his mistake to turn on the T.V. when he got back home from Aunt May's. The ten o'clock news declared a hostage situation was in progress. A lengthy situation that made Peter crawl into bed at the unearthly hour of four in the morning. On any normal day, running at the pace he was wouldn't have been a problem with his spider-agility but, it was unusually hot for mid September. He was feeling the strain quite significantly and also due to the fact he only had two and half hours sleep! Reaching his destination, he perhaps over-zealously pushed the doors open to the lecture theatre. They made a thunderous clatter as they hit the wall and rebounded back towards him. The students and the lecturer looked up to see Peter standing at the top of the stairs with the shine of sweat across his forehead and the tell-tale patches underneath his arms.  
  
You may be a superhero but you can still sweat!  
  
"Nice of you to join us Mr. Parker," said the surprised Doctor Curt Conners. "Thirty minutes late, but that's early by your standards." The students laughed and Peter could feel himself blush.  
  
"Please take a seat." He gestured to the vacant seats in the front row. Peter trudged down to his seat for the remainder of the lecture. After an hour and a half it was over. He was constantly scribbling down notes throughout making sure he didn't miss anything else. Quantum Physics wasn't the easiest subject after all. As the students began to vacate the theatre Peter was called back by Dr. Conners. He just knew it was coming.  
  
"Peter, this is becoming all too frequent now isn't it?"  
  
He could only nod in reply.  
  
"And it's one of the main reasons I had to fire you as my lab assistant, which I thought may make you see sense about your time management.  
  
"I know Dr. Conners. I really am trying."  
  
"I know. It's a pity though because I think I should tell you that you have one of the best scientific minds in the class."  
  
That threw Peter. His attendance was poor and papers late. He didn't really think he had the chance to really show Dr. Conners what he was capable off. Just goes to show I'm wrong he thought.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"You have a really experimental and gifted mind and you tackle the work much as to the same way I did at your age."  
  
"Thank you"  
  
"If only you could apply it more and work on you time issues, you'll be set for the future.  
  
"Thank you" was again, all Peter could muster as a reply.  
  
"Now as you'll hopefully remember you have that major paper due in for the end of the month yes?"  
  
"Yes, I'm all geared up and in the process of doing it Sir." Truth be known, he hadn't even started it. He didn't even know what he was going to write about. All that the students were told was that it had to be imaginative and on the frontline of science and ten thousand words long.  
  
"Good, then I look forward to reading it. Take it easy Peter," With that he patted him on the back and headed for the exit. Peter didn't want to let him down.  
  
Students were filthy vermin thought John as he swept the pavements of the college campus. He had cleaned several streets before in the morning but not as messy as the campus. He looked around as he shifted a rubbish bag onto his trolley. He was incensed to see a well-framed student with his friends stare back at him with a cheeky look on his face. He held up a peel to the fruit he had just eaten and dropped it, laughed and walked away.  
  
That was it.  
  
He marched over confrontational and fist clenched.  
  
"Would you mind picking that up?" he said barely managing to restrict the anger in his voice.  
  
"Uh, no. Isn't that your job?" came the reply.  
  
"There's no point in adding to the litter problem this campus has. In the bin yeah?" He indicated to a rubbish bin no more than a metre a way.  
  
"Okay, okay," said the student lethargically. "In the bin yeah?" He said as he went to pick up the litter.  
  
"Yeah, please," sounded a confident and generally surprised John.  
  
"Okay" and with that the student caught him unaware as he threw the peel in his face. John thought he was going to be punched and so flinched backwards. The shock made him come in contact with his rubbish cart and he tripped over landing awkwardly on his arm and letting out a stifled yelp.  
  
The students roared with laughter as they walked off triumphantly. John wasn't going to take this. Not again. He got back to his feet and momentarily forgot the pain in his arm as he yelled:  
  
"Hey, you stupid punk kid. Put it in the rubbish now!"  
  
"What did you say?" said the student as he turned around. "Know your place!" He walked up and poked him in the chest. "OKAY?!?!"  
  
"Hey Flash, back off," came a familiar voice  
  
"Stay out of this Parker," he replied with his face grimaced. "Or unless you want some too?"  
  
Peter stepped up to flash. "What like last time?" making Flash instantly recall his humiliation in school at the hands Peter. For a moment Peter inwardly laughed. He laughed at the fact it was a complete role change of what he had experienced at school.  
  
"Ah forget it," he said knowingly defeated as he turned back to his group of friends and walked off.  
  
"You okay?" asked Peter  
  
"Yeah, but I didn't need your help okay?" replied John as he walked off to rectify his cart and continue his work.  
  
"O-kay," replied Peter "You're welcome." Thinking nothing much more of it he went on to his next class. 


	8. Whats a girl to wear?

Thank you for the reviews. I will agree with those who commented on the length of my chapters I assure you that will be rectified. This chapter is a bit longer, and as I said I'm going back to amend the other chapters (which I will do before I post anymore. So if you interested in the story stay tuned) Thanks again.  
  
M.J. looked into the mirror with a black dress held across her chest.  
  
"Nah, too much," she muttered as she threw it on her bed.  
  
A typical girl dilemma: What to wear on a first date? But she was never normally like this. When she was with Flash she put anything on and that seemed to please him. The same went for Harry. But with Peter it was different. She wanted to impress him so bad. Even though he was very enigmatic she felt she knew him best and was her closest confidant. Only one major thing still nagged her. Dare she confront him on her suspicions of his other life? She had thought about it over and over for the past year. Was Peter who she thought he was? If so why didn't he tell her? She didn't want to look like a fool if she got it wrong but... that kiss. The two kisses between Spiderman and Peter. Identical. The thought of them sent tingles down her spine.  
  
"Perhaps a dress is a bit too much for now"  
  
Peter had told her they could only be friends. It hurt when he told her that but the again, why should it be only his decision? She had stuck herself on the line. And he had turned her down. She just had to try and deal with it, but yet she was still very intrigued by what would be the outcome of the meal with Peter. She decided not to get her hopes up and just take things as they came. She also had other things on her mind. Like her career. She had had heard that Vogue and Elle were at the fashion show that she was recently in. She had been told by fellow wannabe models that they were contacting models from the show for contract offers. Mary wasn't getting her hopes up. Her self-esteem was at an all time low at the moment.  
  
"Ah ha!" She had found the perfect attire. A blue above knee length skirt with leather boots and a red low cut short sleeve top and blue suede jacket.  
  
Red and blue? Hmmmm.........

  
  
"Why me?" said Spiderman as he punched a rioter in face. "When I got a date, you kind of guys have to cause trouble." He followed up by a kick into another rioter; sweeping him clean of his feet and making him land awkwardly on his side. While Peter was getting ready for his date with M.J. he heard on the radio that a gang of thugs were terrorising a street in downtown New York. The police were having trouble and so as always Peter felt obliged to help, especially if people were getting hurt. He had packed his dinner clothes into a rucksack and off he went. It was now seven thirty and he just knew he was going to be late again.  
  
SPIDER-SENSE!  
  
He rolled forward just quick enough to avoid be cracked over the head with a baseball bat. He turned to see a bulky man charging at him. This time he was more than ready for him. He jumped gracefully over him and while in mid- air fired his trademark webbing at the thug. As soon as he landed he pulled the webbing and the thug came crashing into a crumpled heap before his feet.  
  
"Cool," and with that he launched himself back into the fray.

  
  
M.J. shut the door behind her and locked it. Okay, here we go she thought. Don't expect too much. She walked down the corridor, which was in major need of redecorating. The paint and plaster was chipped and the carpet was seriously worn. While she was accessing the décor she noticed the colour scheme. Deep purple and brown. A big mistake! She couldn't really complain though as it was all she could afford on the shaky wages she received from part time model and waitress. Seeing that the elevator was broke again, she headed for the stairs. On her decent, she involuntarily found herself daydreaming about the date again when she accidentally bumped into a passer by. He was wearing a dirty yellow jacket and carrying a very tattered rucksack.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," said Mary Jane realising her mistake.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," replied the man avoiding eye contact. "I could have fallen and broke my neck"  
  
"Okay, like I said, I'm sorry," repeated MJ unphased by his rudeness. She did use to go out with Flash Thompson and have a drunk for a father after all! He shrugged and walked by her. M.J. sighed and continued out of the apartment block.

  
  
Spiderman flipped another thug into two more that were coming up from behind. As they fell he webbed them to the ground.  
  
"Now be good boys and stay," he said mockingly and shaking his finger at them.  
  
He surveyed the area around him. IT looked as if everything was finally under control. He looked up at a clock in one of the street shops. Eight- fifteen. Damn! Quarter of an hour to get to the restaurant.  
  
"Can you guys handle it form him?" he said to a couple of police officers handcuffing the rioters.  
  
"Yeah, sure thing. Thanks for you help Spidey," replied one of the officers. "Just remember not everyone in this city hate or afraid of you."  
  
"Thanks pal." It was good to know some of his work wasn't going unappreciated. He swung in a nearby alley to pick up his rucksack. He then launched himself onto a wall and crawled up gracefully and with ease. Pulling himself on to the ledge of the building, he ran along it and jumped off the edge. He flipped several times and then let loose the webbing to the corner of another building.

  
  
M.J. couldn't believe it had taken so long to get a taxi. She was ten minutes late and stuck in traffic.  
  
"I'm sorry Peter," she said quietly.

  
  
"I just knew," Peter said in dismay as he did up his shirt. Things never run smoothly he thought. He webbed his rucksack out of view reading to pick up later and dashed out of the alley he was in to the restaurant. "I'm sorry MJ."

  
  
As the taxi turned round the corner M.J. looked to the entrance of the restaurant. He wasn't there. Her face sank faster than the titanic as she got out of the taxi and paid the fair. She looked along the street and then turned to the other direction.  
  
Peter turned the corner and saw her standing there, looking beautiful as always. It made him stop in his tracks momentarily. He couldn't let her go again, not now. He had never wanted anybody so bad. Regaining his composure he walked up to her.  
  
"Peter"  
  
"M.J."  
  
"I'm sorry I'm later," they both said in unison. They both smile at there brief unity.  
  
"So umm, ahh, are you ahh ready to go in madam," said Peter in his best impression of a foreign waiter. He tried to be French but he sounded more like he had a speech impediment.  
  
"I certainly am," she replied, again with a smile.  
  
He held the door open for her respectfully and they headed in. They both had the same thoughts on their minds and they both worried how they were going to put those thoughts into words.


End file.
